Fragmented Identities and Neoliberal Feminist Readings of Faiqa Mansab’s Novel This House of Clay and Water

Abstract

This research explored the gender gap by examining how gender identities were destabilized within contemporary society. Faiqa Mansab’s This House of Clay and Water was analyzed through a textual approach. Selected data were extracted from significant passages of the novel and examined to understand the representation of gender identities. The study found that patriarchal structures and questions of empowerment were major factors contributing to gender inequality and identity destabilization. Its significance lay in reassessing existing boundaries and perceptions of gender in society. The research evaluated imbalances in gender relations and the instability of gender identities while also examining the portrayal of women by self-proclaimed feminists as a critical issue. It further investigated the relationship between identity and individual action and argued that social limitations imposed on identity shaped identity-based inequalities. Situated within post-feminist literary discourse, the study concluded that individuals across gender positions participated in sustaining the gender gap, affecting the lives and experiences of all genders.